Construction of subaqueous tunnels



Aug. 6, 1935.` A. GUNDERSEN CONSTRUCTION OF SUBAQUEOUS TUNNELS Filed June 29, 1932 ffl 'August Gunderson, :.Oslo, lorway Application June; 29, 1932, serialNorslasso "In ISweden June` 26,193'1 Vs claims. (Grcia-4,2)

For `the construction'of 'subaqueous tunnels one of several methods may beused:

(l) The tunnelmay be excav bottom of a river'orc 5 draulic shield with or w tunnel section itself is or concrete.

ated underthe hannel bymeans of hyithout pressureair. The then constructed in'iron (2) Embanking of caissons from the surface separate caissons.

(3) VA groove or of the river or channe tions of iron or sections may either cast concrete yblocks `order to counteract the' buoyancy,

of the water and subsequent connection ofthe ditch is made `mime bottom l, the finished tunnel jsecreinforced concrete being embanked in the said groove or ditch,

be completely whereby the enclosed C in before being embanked in or they may be castinA after -havinglbeen embanked.

'In working accodingto method the tunnel s erally been construc sections form a carrying c a scaffolding for which is afterwards made The interior tunnel section may,

the last mentioned ections themselves ted in iron. The iron tube onstruction as well as have genthe exterior casting of concrete,

with the aid of divers. however, also be constructed in reinforced concrete, either in the form of tube sec In accordance tween the inner cast concrete bloc exterior mass of also as `a carrying tions or in other forms.

with the methods hitherto used tunnel section and no connection has however been obtained bethe exterior k in `such a manner that the concrete is adapted to serve not only as a counter balance against buoyancy but construction by itself.

the present method is to avoid The invention particularly refor street trailic, in which it is necessary to use artificial ventilation.

In accordance nels of this type having two vertical side walls, the upper lower edges of means of horizontal The horizont are reinforced and the of arcs.

them is utilized the tunnel.

with the are composed which are intere slabs as well present invention tunof tunnel sections and onnected by as by means al slabs as well as the arcs space enclosed between as ventilation channels etc. for

The reinforcement of the two horizontal slabs that these slabs besides serving the road surface and a ceiling is so determined as a support for respectively also ed to take up the cons transferred from faces at the bottom and t By further ext the edges of the as tension members adaptiderable horizontal stresses vaulted surop of the tunnel.

ending the reinforcement of the 'sin the tconcrete cast after thev4 latterhave beenjpla'ced 4in position, the

`serve to take up pressure "be destroyed `or exposed fto `words. 'a dnibley security .is obtained. Thspoint is one of ,great importanceffor'tunnelsthe'tops 15 'of which are close i' "In the "drawing horizontal slabs laterally imboth directions `so that the'tensionmembers are securelyLanchored about the 'tunnel sections result 1 is secured that the" to 'the .bottom f Aa "river 'or channel or' theflike. trafcked'by" vessels.

Figure l shows a cros'ssectional viewthrough a tunnel section, 20

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken upon the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows. 25

The tunnel section itself comprises the two vertical side walls I, 2, which are connected with the exterior side walls or scaffolding walls 3, 4 by means of vertical walls or ribs l2 in the form of beams with or without perforated webs. The 30 upper and lower edges of the vertical side walls I, 2 are interconnected by means of the horizontal surfaces 5, 6 and the arched or vaulted surfaces 1, 8.

The reinforcement of the horizontal slabs or 35 surfaces 5, 6 operates as tension members for the vaulted surfaces 1, 8. Further the reinforcement irons 9 with the disks Il in the horizontal surfaces 5, 6 may be extended laterally in both directions so as to be securely anchored in the con- 0 crete block l0, which is cased about the tunnel section between the scaffolding walls 3, 4 after the tunnel section has been placed in position. In this manner even the concrete cast on the exterior surface of the vaulted surfaces 1, 8 will 45 act as a pressure resisting arch in addition to the carrying arches 1, 8.

'I'he part of the exterior concrete casting utilized in this manner is indicated with dotted lines I4.

In case the tunnel sections are made of iron instead of concrete as specified the horizontal surface-sheets serve as tension members and are laterally extended in the manner specified above for the reinforcement irons.

walls and anchoring means at I claim:

1. A tunnel section for subaqueous tunnels comprising two interior side walls, a iiat and a curved wall interconnecting the upper and lower edges of said interior side walls, two exterior side walls located parallel with and spaced from the first named interior side walls, concrete filling the space between said interior and exterior walls and covering said curved walls and members 1ocated vat substantially the juncture of said interior side walls and said flat and curved walls and extending laterally towards said exterior side walls.

2. A tunnel section for subaqueous tunnels comprising two interior side walls, a flat and a curved wall interconnecting said interior side walls at their upper and lower edges, .two exterior side walls located parallel with and spaced from said rst named interior side walls, concrete iilling the space between said interior and exterior walls and covering said curved walls, members located at substantially the juncture of said interior side walls and said flat and curved walls extending laterally towards said exterior side the free ends of said members for providing a grip in the concrete.

3. A tunnel section for subaqueous tunnels comprising two interior side walls, a Iiat and a curved wall interconnecting the upper and lower edges of said interiorside walls, two exterior side walls located parallel with and spaced from the rst named interior side wa1ls,` concrete filling the space between said interior and exterior walls and covering said curved walls and members located at substantially the juncture of said interior side walls and said at and curved walls extending laterally towards said exterior side walls and said members being connected with said exterior side walls.

4. A tunnel section for subaqueous tunnels comprising two interior side walls, top and bottom Walls interconnecting the upper and lower edges of said interior side walls, two exterior side walls located parallel with and spaced from said first named mterior side walls, concrete filling the space between said interior and exterior walls and covering said top and bottom walls and members located at substantially the juncture of said interior side walls and said top and bottom walls extending laterally towards said exterior side walls.

5. A tunnel section for subaqueous tunnels comprising two interior side walls, top and bottom walls interconnecting the upper and lower edges of said interior side walls, two exterior side walls` located parallel with and spaced from said iirst named interior side walls, concrete filling the space between said interior and exterior walls and covering said top and bottom walls, members located at substantially the juncture of said interior side walls and said topy and bottom walls extendingv laterally towards said exterior side walls and anchoring means at the free ends of saidmembers for providing a grip in the concrete.

6. A tunnel section for subaqueous tunnels comprising two interior side walls, top and bottom walls interconnecting the upper and lower edges of said interior side walls, two exterior side walls located parallel with and spaced from said rst named interior side walls, concrete iilling the space between said interior and exterior walls and covering said top and bottom walls and members located at substantially the juncture of said interior side walls and said top and bottom walls extending laterally towards said exterior side walls and connected thereto.

AUGUST GUNDERSEN. 

